


i'll paint the picture, let me set the scene

by mmxii



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-11
Updated: 2017-10-11
Packaged: 2019-01-16 03:38:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12334758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mmxii/pseuds/mmxii
Summary: This might very well be the stupidest idea Isak has ever had. And he’s had his fair share of stupid ideas, so he knows what he’s talking about, okay.





	i'll paint the picture, let me set the scene

**Author's Note:**

> hi hello whats up
> 
> this idea came from nowhere and i got stuck while writing my other fic so i wrote this instead lol. its short and dumb but enjoy??
> 
> title from 'what do i know?' by ed sheeran

This might very well be the stupidest idea Isak has ever had. And he’s had his fair share of stupid ideas, so he knows what he’s talking about, okay.

 

Running as a concept in and of itself should be regarded as some kind of torture, both mental  _and_ physical. Adding a heat of nearly thirty degrees into the equation is absolute hell -- feels like it almost literally is -- and Isak can’t for the life of him understand why he had thought this would be a good idea. He really needs to stop doing things out of spite, but seriously, Jonas is just as much to blame for saying Isak could never run for longer than ten minutes at a time. What other choice did Isak have but to prove him wrong?

 

However, if he had known it would be this bad he would’ve just kept his mouth shut. Maybe he should take this as a sign; he’s just not meant to do things like this.

 

He’s at twenty minutes without stopping now, all registered in the running app in his phone, and that should be proof enough to show Jonas just how wrong he is, but despite the fact that Isak is about five steps from dying, he still feels like he could push it just a little bit further. A thought he wants to take back the very next second, because no. He can’t do this anymore.

 

Fortunately, he doesn’t have that far to run before he’s back home again. The question is just if he can make it all the way there before collapsing. Because honestly? It doesn’t look good right now.

 

Making another decision that has all the potential of becoming a mistake which he’ll deeply regret within the next few seconds, he opts for taking the way through the park instead of torturing himself with running on the unforgiving sidewalks of Oslo any longer. While this seems to be the right choice at first, he’s also well aware of the downsides to it, hence the likeliness of this being a decision he’ll wish he could go back and change.

 

The park is pretty crowded, which doesn’t come as a surprise considering the abnormally warm weather, but it’s still worse than Isak had initially thought it would be. Here, as opposed to the so far quite empty streets of the city, it’s not always easy to find a part of the path that’s empty, and he has to zigzag as he makes his way between moms with strollers and kids playing catch and old men walking their dogs.

 

What he had imagined to be a nice change of scenery which would possibly give him that last boost of energy he needs to get all the way home turns out to only be a far-fetched dream. It might have worked slightly during the first minute or so, but that’s it. After that he’s back to where he was before he ventured into the park, with his battery level running dangerously low and telling him to recharge before he shuts down completely.

 

As he runs past a playground filled with children -- all of which could probably outrun him at this point -- it all gets worse. The sun, which so far has been blocked out by the great number of trees in the park, now comes out from its hiding spot, shining down on him with a heat which feels like closer to forty now.

 

(He knows it’s not, okay, knows that’s almost impossible, but that’s still what it feels like as the rays seem to be drawn to him like moths to a flame. Except  _he’s_  the one getting burnt, so maybe that’s not the best metaphor to use).

 

With beads of sweat running down the sides of his face, Isak quickly rounds a group of people dressed in suits -- who are,  _of course_ , blocking most part of the path. He accidentally gets too close to one of them, misjudging the distance, and as his shoulder brushes against theirs, it’s like he wakes up from a trance.

 

And that’s when everything inside him just starts screaming at him to stop, telling him once more that this is it. It’s time to give up.

 

He’s too hot and there’s not enough air going into his lungs, the feeling of not being able to breathe suddenly hitting him out of nowhere. It’s like he’s exhaling way faster than he’s able to inhale, and his chest starts hurting and after that it’s like pushing a button. Once he’s aware of the pain in his chest, other parts of his body start to want his attention too, like a chain event. It’s like playing dominoes; the tiles keep falling, one hitting another and then another and another, until they’re all down.

 

Until they’re all out of the game.

 

His limit has been reached about five times already and he might have been able to push himself past it up until this point, but he’s done now. He _really_ can’t do this anymore.

 

He’s running on that last percent, using all of it to stumble over to a bench, probably looking like he’s been lost in a desert for days without anything to eat or drink, and now he’s finally found water. Ironically, he could really do with some actual water right now, too, but like the dumbass he is, he didn’t bring any. So he has to settle for just sitting down and letting his body rest while he tries to catch his breath.

 

His breathing gets back to normal pretty fast, but it’s another five minutes of recovery before his legs stop feeling like spaghetti and regain the strength to be able to carry him forward again, during which he contemplates giving up on moving and instead just staying on this bench for the foreseeable future. He abandons that idea pretty fast, but despite the fact that he eventually feels better and could probably continue on with the speed he had before, he decides to just walk the rest of the way home. Enough is enough.

 

As he pushes his way off the bench, intending to start the last step of this once in a lifetime experience -- fuck off, he’s  _never_ doing this again, okay -- he’s interrupted by a voice coming from somewhere to his left.

 

“Excuse me.”

 

Isak turns to find himself face to face with an older man -- somewhere in his sixties, Isak would guess -- who is dressed in a dark green suit, complete with a matching hat perched on his head, and sitting on the bench next to the one Isak had practically collapsed on a few moments earlier.

 

Isak frowns slightly at the man, having no idea about what could have possibly prompted this conversation. “Huh?”

 

The man’s expression is mirroring Isak’s own, face full of confusion as he turns to share a look with the woman sitting next to him, who doesn’t look like she knows what’s going on either, before turning back to face Isak again. “We’re in the middle of filming a movie here.”

 

The comment makes Isak’s eyebrows raise in surprise, because  _what the fuck?_

 

“ _What?_ ”

 

“We’re in the middle of filming a movie, so you can’t be here,” the man elaborates as he reaches up to adjust his hat. “You need to get out that way,” he continues, finishing his directive by pointing in the same direction Isak had come running from earlier.

 

“Uh, okay?” Isak mumbles, the word sounding more like a question than acceptance as he starts to inspect his surroundings to look for anything that could back up the man’s statement, because he doesn’t really know what to think right now.

 

Much to his surprise, he turns to face the other end of the path -- the one he had intended to use to run out of the park -- and finds it to be blocked off by cameras and people and a number of other things that look like different kinds of equipment but which he can’t even pretend to know the names of. He also spots about five other people between him and the cameras, all of which probably  _should_ be there, considering the way their outfits are more in tune with the man’s. And it's not until now that Isak realises that they wouldn't usually fit in in this kind of scenery.

 

The situation only seems to get weirder the longer it goes on, and to reach a level this high in this short amount of time has to be some kind of new record. At least as far as Isak is concerned, because he feels like he’s stepped into an alternate universe. How is it even possible to run through a park and accidentally get in the middle of a big movie recording?

 

Thankfully, the conversation looks to be over now, the man only pointedly gesturing once more for Isak to  _get the fuck out_. (Isak’s words, but based on the now irritated expression on the man’s face it’s most likely his, too).

 

After standing there doing nothing but stare at the man for a moment longer, caught up in some kind of daze which he has a hard time snapping out of, Isak eventually starts to make his way back the way he came.

 

He gets as far as the edge of the playground before he’s met with his next obstacle and gets stopped by someone who looks even more confused than Isak feels. How that’s even possible, he has no idea.

 

“What are you doing here?” the guy asks, and had Isak met him during other circumstances, he might have been hit with another wave of astonishment -- because this is possibly the most beautiful guy he’s ever seen, holy  _fuck_ \-- but he’s all maxed out in that area right now, so he just tiredly rolls his eyes at him instead.

 

“Apparently I’m ruining your movie.”

 

“How did you even get in there? Where did you come from?”

 

“I came from here?” Isak frowns, gesturing to the space next to the guy. “I just ran past you, like, five minutes ago?”

 

That only seems to make the guy’s confusion grow even further, and he brings a hand up to rub at his forehead for a moment -- touching a few strands of hair falling over his forehead while he does, and, granted, it’s been less than a minute, but why didn’t Isak notice his hair before? That’s all it takes before Isak is lost in a train of thought that moves south faster than he can keep up -- eyes, lips, shoulders, hands -- barely stopping at a station before going to the next one, feeling as if there’s too much to catch up with and not enough time to afford to stop too long in each place. For some reason feeling as if he’s running out of time.

 

Fortunately -- because let’s face it, that whole thing was a disaster just waiting to happen -- he’s soon interrupted as the guy speaks again.

 

“How the fuck did I miss someone like-” he starts, before stopping abruptly, biting his lip as if to physically stop himself from continuing.

 

Isak’s frown deepens with suspicion. “Like  _what_?”

 

“Well, like  _you_ ,” comes the answer after another moment of silence, and the way he says it, combined with Isak’s traitorous brain, makes Isak wonder if that was an attempt at flirting. As it turns out, it was  _not_. Isak really shouldn’t get ahead of himself like this.

 

What’s the word for that thing he always forgets to do?

 

Oh, right.  _Chill_.

 

“I mean, you don’t exactly fit in with the set,” the guy continues, making Isak snap his focus back to the conversation as the guy sends a pointed glance at Isak’s outfit, which consists of a washed out t-shirt that’s at least five years old and a pair of shorts, and which is probably as far from a suit and tie as you can come.

 

The focus on his clothes makes Isak acutely aware of his own appearance, and seriously. How is this his life? Of course he’s a sweaty mess during the one time he’s face to face with the man of his fucking dreams. He’s out of the race before it’s even started.

 

But fuck, whatever. Moving on.

 

He mentally berates himself for letting his mind get that far, then pushes himself back to focus on the topic at hand.

 

“Really?” Isak asks, the word dripping with sarcasm. “Shouldn’t you be paying more attention? Or like, have a sign or something to let people know you’re filming?”

 

“Yeah, we probably should.” The guy lets out a heavy sigh and looks over Isak’s shoulder, wincing at something. Isak turns to take a look himself, but doesn’t find anything to cause that reaction. “Fuck, I hope they don’t use that take.”

 

That short sentence is enough to send Isak back to being one hundred percent confused. “What? You think they could? Wasn’t I in the middle of it?”

 

The guy shakes his head. “No, the camera is focused on that couple at the other end there, see?” he says, pointing behind Isak, who turns once again, following the direction of his finger to see what he’s talking about. The pair the guy mentioned is standing at the far end of the path, but they’re not actually  _that_ far away from the bench Isak had been considering calling his new home earlier. “You were definitely in it, though, but in the way background. Not that that would help me, since you’re still in the shot.”

 

“Oh,” Isak mumbles, at a loss for words.

 

He looks back up at the guy, who seems to be pretty anxious now. And Isak could just leave, could just step around him and walk out of the park without looking back. There’s nothing keeping him here, no reason for him to be here. Not really.

 

Except there is.

 

There’s something about this guy that makes Isak unable to move, makes him want to stay here. Stay close.

 

He feels like this is all his fault, despite the lack of signs or barriers to keep him off the set, and there’s a sudden need hitting him, a need for him to make things right. And, more importantly, to make that worried expression fall off the guy’s face as soon as possible.

 

“It’s not only your fault, though, right?” Isak tries, searching for the right words as he hopes that this lame attempt at making the guy feel better will actually work. “There are a lot of people over there who must have seen me. And like, shouldn’t the camera men notice someone getting into frame who’s not supposed to be there?”

 

The guy sends him a sad smile, before letting out another sigh. “I guess. But I’m just an intern so it’s not like they would blame any of them over me. They would only need like a minute to replace me, and they wouldn’t even see any difference.” He pauses. “Well, except the next one probably won’t ruin their movie.”

 

Isak is just about to scour through his brain to come up with some good response to that, when someone yells “Even!” and the guy turns to his right where a woman is striding up to them. She tells him something Isak can’t hear, her voice too quiet to reach him even though he’s less than two meters away. When the woman leaves a moment later, the guy -- Even, apparently -- faces Isak again, this time with a relieved smile on his face.

 

“They can’t use the last three takes because of some sound issues, so we’re all good!”

 

Isak can’t help but smile back. “That’s great.”

 

Even keeps grinning at him, and Isak swears it’s like an energy source ready to compete with the actual sun, feeling it raise the temperature impossibly higher, close to reaching his boiling point. The combination of the hot weather and the fact that he’s just been on a run for a longer time than he has for like all of the last few years combined might actually be a good thing right now since he can use that as an explanation for his flushed face. Because if he had been in this situation where everything stayed the same except for those two parts, then he’s completely sure his cheeks would still be burning.

 

There’s a moment of silence between them, where Isak gets lost in his own daydreams while simultaneously trying to think of ways to prolong the conversation, but then Even breaks it, and does exactly that.

 

“Too bad about you, though. I think you would be great in a movie.”

 

“Yeah, right,” Isak snorts.

 

“I’m serious!” Even insists, then his mouth twists into a playful smirk. “Since this one didn’t work out then I guess  _I’ll_ just have to make a movie about you.”

 

While Even might not have been flirting before, it certainly feels like he is now, and Isak’s brain would probably short-circuit if he thought about it for too long. So he doesn’t. It still takes him a few seconds to respond, though.

 

“This one wasn’t even supposed to work out!” Isak exclaims, bewildered by that logic, but Even just waves a dismissive hand at him.

 

“And I thought you were just an intern?” Isak continues. “Or are you a director, too?”

 

Even shrugs. “Everyone has to start somewhere.”

 

“True,” Isak nods, and then Even smiles at him again and Isak is gone.

 

He’s so  _gone_ , and now he’s just standing there doing nothing but staring at Even, probably looking like an idiot, yet he’s barely even aware of doing it because Even is staring back and  _fuck_. It takes what feels like an eternity of them being frozen still like that before the bubble eventually breaks when someone tries to make their way past Isak on the narrow part of the path that’s free. There’s not enough room there, which makes them bump into Isak’s arm as they pass, and that’s it.

 

And it’s only then Isak remembers where he is, that there are dozens of other people here in the park, and not just him and Even. It’s as if Isak was in a room that lost all of its lights, except that one bright spark, so long ago that when someone hits the power switch and illuminates the rest of the space, he’s almost shocked by the surroundings even though he did register them at one point.

 

A distant memory outshined by something better.

 

The short contact between Isak and whoever it was that walked past him had really startled him, efficiently breaking the intense eye contact him and Even had been caught up in. When he looks back up again he’s met with yet another smile. This one looks… fond, for lack of a better word for it.

 

Fuck, it’s hot here.

 

“What’s your name?” Even asks.

 

“Isak.”

 

“I’m Even.”

 

Isak rolls his eyes. “That woman practically yelled your name like two minutes ago, so I don’t think anyone could’ve missed that.”

 

“Yeah, she can be pretty loud,” Even chuckles, then he trails off, looking down at the ground for a moment before meeting Isak’s eyes again. “Anyway, Isak. We should hang out some time.”

 

Isak raises an eyebrow at him, amused by the straightforwardness of his statement. “Oh, we should, should we?”

 

The eye contact is broken again as Even glances back down at his feet, biting his lip before talking again. This time there’s more of a distance covering his words, as if he’s taking a step back. “I mean, only if you want, of course,” he starts, a little hesitant, before a smile breaks out on his face, seemingly useless for him to even try to hold back. “But, you know, it would be great if you said yes since I’m making a movie about you and everything. It can’t just consist of me talking about how cute you are for an hour and a half. Not that I couldn’t do that, but I’m just thinking about the viewers; they might want some variation.”

 

Isak barely registers the last part of what Even says, getting stuck on a certain word somewhere in the middle.

 

Did Isak mention the thing about it being hot here?

 

“Well,” Isak starts, clearing his throat once before continuing, feeling as if he might be in more need of water now than ever. Or maybe a fan. “I guess I don’t really have a choice, now. I can’t just let your viewers die of boredom.”

 

Even’s mouth drops open in mock offense. “ _Excuse me_ , no one said the movie would be  _boring_!”

 

“Yeah, you’re right,” Isak agrees. “It  _is_ about me, after all.”

 

The laugh Even lets out at that is the best thing Isak has heard all day, or probably even all  _week_ , but unfortunately it gets cut short.

 

“Even!”

 

Even grimaces at the sound. “Fuck, she really is loud.” There’s a moment of silence as he looks around, most likely trying to pinpoint the location of the source of the voice, then he faces Isak again. “But, uh. Could I maybe get your number? You know, to like, decide how we’re gonna share the profit of the movie and all that.”

 

“I already know the answer to that. It’s obviously 75/25 to me,” Isak states, crossing his arms over his chest to show Even he’s serious about this.

 

As serious as one can be about the potential profit of a made up movie, that is.

 

“You’re only giving me 25%?!” Even exclaims. “It’s  _my_ movie!”

 

“But I’m the star! It would be nothing without me.”

 

“Still my movie. What about 50/50?”

 

Isak shakes his head, trying his best to hold back a smile that threatens to break free. “No way.”

 

Even grins as he shakes his head right back at Isak. “See, this is why I need your number; we have a lot left to discuss here.”

 

“Fine,” Isak says, letting out an exaggerated sigh and handing over his phone, “but I’m telling you now, I’m gonna win this argument.”

 

“Honestly, it doesn’t even matter because I’m pretty sure I’ve already won.”

 

“No, you haven’t!” Isak protests, but Even just smirks at him.

 

“I’m not talking about my masterpiece of a movie.”

 

“Oh,” Isak breathes, at a loss for words once more.

 

“ _Even!_ ”

 

The voice seems impossibly louder this time, and Even winces when it breaks their conversation. “Shit, I really should go before they actually do decide to replace me.”

 

“Yeah, you probably should,” Isak agrees.

 

Even nods as he gives Isak's phone back, then starts walking backwards towards where Isak now can see the woman impatiently waiting for him. “But I’ll call you?”

 

“Yeah,” Isak nods, smiling softly at Even once more as he increases the distance between them. Even keeps walking backwards, only stopping when he almost trips over his own feet, and there’s a blush accompanying the grin on his face as he meets Isak’s gaze one last time, before turning around for good and going back to doing whatever it was he did before Isak came in and disturbed his focus.

 

Isak stays where he is for another minute, watching him go, and all of a sudden he’s hit with a burst of energy, making him feel as if he could run another round right now without stopping even once. As if he could run to the end of the world without so much as breaking a sweat.

 

He settles for just running the rest of the way home, though, but he knows the possibilities are endless now. He opened one door and accidentally stumbled through another, and by doing so he got access to a whole new room, filled with new doors which have countless of different realities hidden behind them, ones he wouldn’t know about had it not been for this one mistake.

 

This one nudge in the right direction.

 

And considering this, he might have to rethink his initial opinion. Because while there’s generally more downsides than upsides to it, at least as far as Isak is concerned, running might not actually be that bad, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> thats like the biggest lie ive ever written tbh
> 
> so... anyone else accidentally walking (running) into a movie set while they were actually filming?? just me (and isak)??? lmao yeah the first part of this fic is actually based on a real thing that happened to me like a month ago?? i was so confused and it made me really anxious, like how is that even possible??? but writing this made me feel better about it so thanks boys
> 
> btw!!! i just wanna mention that im still working on ‘and it falls just where it needs to be’ but its kinda slow and im in that mood where i feel like i suck at everything i do (tbh i have no idea how i even managed to write this and feel ok about it). but i promise its coming and im not abandoning it ok i would never do that!!
> 
> anyways thanks for reading!! ♥♥♥ ILY
> 
> come say hi @ [tumblr](http://isakissyvaltersen.tumblr.com) if u want


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